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Melissa Russell is certified as a yoga therapist by the International Association of Yoga Therapists and as an iRest meditation teacher by the Integrative Restoration Institute. She uses movement, breath, meditation, and lifestyle modifications to help people find better health and well-being ph…

As a dedicated and experienced physical therapist, I am committed to providing compassionate and evidence-based care to individuals seeking support with pre & postnatal care, persistent pain and pelvic health concerns. I am on a mission to support & educate women on pelvic health and persistent pai…

Hello, I'm Tracy and I'm delighted to meet you! My life's mission is to help people occupy their bodies, hearts, and minds with curiosity and compassion. I have a passion for mindful movement and embodiment practices and think some of the most magical places on earth are the yoga mat and dance floo…

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Hello and welcome! I’m Gladys Powe, also known as Coach Gee, a certified life, health, and wellness coach dedicated to helping you thrive through life’s many transitions. As the founder of Just for Girls, a mentoring organization, I am passionate about empowering women and young girls to embrace th…

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Greetings everyone!:) My name is Shaazia and I’m a registered International phase Counseling therapist, Wellness & Life coach and Medical Herbalist. I specialize in all areas of mental health and wellness, as well as Holistic well-being, and work with clients from all over the world. My clients are…

Hi I’m Andrea! I’m a Nutrition Therapy Master and creator of the Nourished Magnolia nutrition practice. I help others support their mental and physical health, recover from chronic stress and trauma, and get to the root of their health issues using functional nutrition and breathwork techniques. If…

Hello, I'm Nancy a certified Master Nutrition Therapist through the Nutritional Therapy Insitute in Colorado. I am also studying to be a Board-Certified Holistic Nutritionist. My passion for food and the healing powers it holds started well over a decade ago, when I was diagnosed with PCOS. I wa…

Izabela Marić, certified teacher of yoga and yoga therapy, ITEC alumni, certified Holistic Life Coach, founder of Verbasana yoga studio, president of the Croatian Yoga Association, B.Sc. Indologist. Namaste, my name is Izabela and I encountered yoga more than twenty years ago. I am a certified y…

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I am a graduate in Occupational Therapy from the College of St Catherine class of 1990 with a specialty interest in pediatrics. I have thirty plus years of experience working with diverse age, culture, gender identity, physical and mental diagnosis and medical settings. I've promoted occupational t…

I've worked with teens as a teacher in middle school, in high school, a high school librarian, and now as a life coach. The reason for my commitment to teens is simple - I really like them. I earned an MEd. in. Secondary English Education and am a Certified Life Coach for Young People through Youth…

I work with women who want to lose weight through detoxing, balancing hormones, improving GI systems – all by and switching to whole-foods, proper supplementation, and daily habit changes. I will be working DIRECTLY with YOU, one-to-one, in our sessions, emphasizing that everything you’re experi…

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Hey love! My name is Stacie. I am a Conscious Mindset Mentor and Transformational Life Coach for women who are ready to unveil the Truth of their inherent VALUE and WORTH and step into the next, highest version of themselves that they fully deserve. I provide authentic support and guidance through…

Welcome! My name is Katie Ruebush and I am a wellness coach, physical therapist, farm wife, and boy mom dedicated to helping clients throughout their lifespan live healthy, active lifestyles. Please use Physio Pharm to empower yourself or someone you love through my online educational resources. …

At Elements Yoga Therapy, my mission is to educate, empower and inspire my clients by using eastern philosophies and practices backed by western biomedical science.

Let's get to the root cause of your health issues for good. Here's my approach: we utilize customized holistic nutrition, cutting-edge lab testing and high-quality supplements to balance your body from within. Your body has the capacity to heal: let's get you there. Functional lab testing is …

My mission is to inspire others to live their best life by kindly helping them to plan the best dietary and lifestyle changes to live the best life possible. A mutual faith and determination between myself and client will enable them to have the best day ever, every day!

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Hey beautiful! It’s so wonderful you’ve dropped by. Once upon a time, I was a boss babe like you on the run. I wasn’t taking care of myself and my skin was suffering. I wanted to look as confident as I felt but I tended to hide under makeup, self conscious. It wasn’t until I learned the secrets …

As a meditation teacher, counselor, and coach, my mission is to empower individuals to cultivate inner peace, emotional well-being, and personal growth. With a holistic approach to mental health and self-discovery, I am dedicated to guiding clients on a transformative journey towards greater self-a…
FAQs:
What Does a Child Therapist Do?
A child therapist is specially trained to handle emotional changes and the difficulties that might arise across developmental stages. Child therapists are trained to understand better and teach children to comprehend their emotions and to appropriately and healthily convey them. Through teaching and active listening, counselors help kids overcome obstacles in mental health. One of the most helpful services a therapist can offer is providing the vocabulary for what a child is exhibiting. Most parents are not mental health professionals and may see behaviors that seem like “just being a kid,” when, in reality, they could be exhibiting symptoms of the development of generalized anxiety disorder or some other pervasive problem. Parenting is tough! Child therapists usually focus on behavior change through interaction and play with younger kids. Attention spans vary, and making a session interesting and sometimes physically active for a kid can help them better understand how their emotions are manifesting in their little bodies. A good therapist will actively include parents and other caregivers in developing strategies to take home and build after leaving their office.
How Does Therapy Work?
In therapy, kids learn by doing. With younger kids, this means working with the whole family, drawing, playing, and talking. For older kids and teens, therapists share activities and ideas that focus on learning the skills they need. They talk through feelings and solve problems. Therapists give praise and support as kids learn. They help kids believe in themselves and find their strengths. Therapy builds helpful thinking patterns and healthy behavioral habits. A therapist might meet with the child and parent together or meet with the child alone. It depends on the child's age. A therapist might also meet with a parent to give tips and ideas for how to help their child at home.
Why Do Kids and Teens Need Therapy?
Kids and teens need therapy when they have problems they can't cope with alone. Or they need help when problems affect how well they do, feel, or act. If things don't get better on their own, kids may need therapy so things can improve. Sometimes, entire families need support while trying to communicate, learn, and create boundaries.
When Should a Child See a Therapist?
It isn’t always easy to tell when your child or teen might need therapy—even if they are dealing with one of the issues mentioned earlier. But just as with adults, children often benefit from counseling and other forms of mental health services when they’re:
- Mental illness, such as depression or anxiety
- The death of a loved one and other difficult losses
- Abuse (sexual, emotional, physical, mental)
- Addiction in the family
- Parents’ divorce
- Behavioral issues
- Developmental delays
- Learning disorders
- Stress
- Traumatic events
- Moving to a new town
- Bullying
Younger children may exhibit behaviors that are more difficult to detect or understand, but may still benefit most from child therapy. Some of these signs include:
- Separation anxiety or clingy behavior, such as being afraid to attend school, play dates, or spend time with other relatives
- Bedwetting behavior at a developmentally inappropriate age
- Agitation, physical violence, or irritability that can’t be explained
How Long Do Kids Do Therapy?
How long therapy lasts depends on the goals you and your child's therapist have. Most of the time, a therapist will want to meet with your child once a week for a few months.
What Happens in Therapy?
At first, the therapist will meet with you and your child to talk. They will ask questions and listen. This helps them learn more about your child and the problem. The therapist will tell you how they can help. After that, your child will go to more therapy visits. At these visits, your child might:
- Talk. Talking is a healthy way to express feelings. When kids put feelings into words instead of actions, they can act their best. When someone listens and knows how they feel, kids are more ready to learn.
- Do activities. Therapists use activities to teach about feelings and coping skills. They may have kids draw or play as a way to learn. They may teach mindfulness and calm breathing as a way to lower stress.
- Practice new skills. Therapists help kids practice what they learn. They might play games where kids need to wait their turn, use self-control, be patient, follow directions, listen, share, try again, or deal with losing.
- Solve problems. With older kids and teens, therapists ask how problems affect them at home and school. They talk about how to solve these problems.
What’s The Difference Between A Child Therapist And A Child Psychologist?
A child therapist has a master’s degree in a mental health-related field such as psychology, counseling psychology, or marriage and family therapy. A child therapist is qualified to evaluate children’s mental and behavioral health and use therapeutic techniques, such as talk therapy. Therapists usually have an approach that’s more focused on problem-solving. A child psychologist has a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) and often has extensive training in psychological research or clinical practice. Child psychologists can conduct many tests that therapists can’t, to help diagnose mental health and learning issues, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and learning differences.
Should My Child See a Therapist or Psychologist?
While the work of child therapists and child psychologists overlap in a lot of ways, there are some distinct differences in what they can offer you and your child. A therapist can help your child to work through difficult situations, learn coping skills to manage intense feelings and help families get along better. While a therapist can help treat your child’s emotional or mental health issues, they may not be the best fit if you need a diagnosis for an IEP (individualized education plan) or other school accommodations. Schools often prefer that you work with a psychologist for this.
Your child may benefit from seeing a therapist if:
- They need emotional support and someone to talk to about their feelings.
- They’re struggling with anxiety, depression, anger, or big life changes.
- You’d like help figuring out how to get along better with your child and improve difficult behavior.
- You’d like your child to meet with someone regularly, and you’re not looking for help with medication or more complex mental health conditions.
- A child psychologist can conduct many tests that therapists can’t, which can be helpful when you need more information about the source of your child’s difficulties or if your child needs an IEP.
Your child might benefit from seeing a psychologist if:
- You think your child might have a condition that affects their learning or social interaction, such as ADHD, a learning difference, or autism spectrum disorder.
- Your child needs help managing emotional or behavioral problems.
- You’d like a more detailed diagnosis for your child.
- One of your goals for therapy is to discover what changes you can make at home and changes your child’s school can make to better support your child.
Both child therapists and child psychologists can’t prescribe medication. If your child needs medication to manage a more complex mental health condition, they may need to see a child psychiatrist, which is a medical doctor who’s an expert in the field of psychiatry — the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication.
What Is the Most Effective Therapy?
There’s no single, most effective approach for children and teens when seeking out child or adolescent therapy services. But there are specific effective approaches that are used to treat certain mental health conditions, concerns, or circumstances. In child therapy sessions, your child’s therapist may use one or more of the following: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Therapists teach children how thoughts cause feelings that affect behaviors. They help children identify distorted and harmful thinking patterns and replace them with more appropriate ones to improve their mood and behavior. Trauma-focused CBT is a specialized form of CBT. It helps children cope with traumatic experiences.
How Much Does a Child Therapist Cost?
Considering how much therapy costs and how an individual will pay for it, are substantial barriers that can keep parents from seeking out a therapist for their child. Therapy, on average, typically ranges from $65 per hour to $250 or more. However, in most areas, an individual is likely to pay $100 to $200 for each session.
What Is a Psychologist?
A psychologist is someone who studies the mind and behavior. While people often think of talk therapy when they hear the word psychologist, this profession encompasses a wide range of specialty areas, including such things as animal research and organizational behavior.
The term psychologist can apply to people who:
- Use psychological knowledge and research to solve problems, such as treating mental illnesses
- Work as a social scientist to conduct psychological research and teach at colleges or universities.
The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes 54 distinct divisions, each representing a specialized interest or area within psychology.
Can a Clinical Psychologist Write Prescriptions?
In most cases, a clinical psychologist is NOT authorized to prescribe medication to their patients. There are, however, 5 states that allow psychologists the power to prescribe drugs if they have received the necessary level of training. These states are Louisiana, New Mexico, Illinois, Iowa, and Idaho.
What are the Types of Psychologists?
There are plenty of psychologists who engage in this type of talk therapy, but people who work in the field of psychology also do a variety of other things. Below is a list of some of the specialty areas and related tasks they include.
Clinical Psychologists
Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose and treat individuals experiencing psychological distress and mental illness. They also perform psychotherapy and develop treatment plans.
Cognitive Psychologists
Cognitive psychologists investigate how people think, including topics such as decision-making and problem-solving. This type of psychologist is interested in how the brain processes, learns, stores recognize, and utilizes information.
Consumer Psychologists
Also known as marketing psychologists, consumer psychologists research consumer behavior and develop marketing strategies to promote businesses. This type of psychologist is involved in helping businesses better understand what makes consumers purchase products and services.
Counseling Psychologists
Counseling psychologists provide psychotherapy to people experiencing psychological disturbances, behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, stress, and related issues. These professionals share many commonalities with clinical psychologists.
Developmental Psychologists
Developmental psychologists research human development across the entire lifespan. Some focus on a specific period such as early childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or old age. These professionals may perform tasks such as evaluating children who may have a developmental delay or disability, investigating issues associated with aging, and studying how language skills are acquired.
Health Psychologists
Health psychologists are centered on how psychology, biology, social groups, and behavior influence wellness, illness, and overall health. They work with clients to help maximize well-being and improve both mental and physical health.
Personality Psychologists
Personality psychologists study the different aspects of personality and how individual traits influence an individual's life and behavior. Researchers in the field of personality psychology are interested in a wide range of topics that can have applications in everyday life.
Social Psychologists
Social psychologists study the behavior of groups, including how people behave in social settings and how groups influence individual behavior. A social psychologist might investigate a wide range of topics, including attitudes, prejudice, communication, interpersonal relationships, aggression, and persuasion.
Cross-Cultural Psychologists
Cross-cultural psychologists look at how people vary across cultures and how cultural affiliations influence behavior. They often explore how different aspects of behavior may be either universal or varied across different cultures.
Biopsychologists
These psychologists are also sometimes called biological psychologists or physiological psychologists. They study and perform research on the brain and behavior. By examining the neural bases of behavior, biopsychologists can understand different biological factors that might impact how people think, feel, and act.
What is Child Therapy?
Child therapy (also called child counseling) is similar to therapy and counseling for adults: it offers a safe space and an empathetic ear while providing tools to bring about change in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Just like adult clients, child clients receive emotional and goal support in their sessions. They can focus on resolving conflict, understanding their own thoughts and feelings, and thinking of new solutions to their daily problems. The only big difference between adult therapy and child therapy is the emphasis on making sure children understand what is happening, and how they are not alone. Child therapy can be practiced with one child, a child, and a parent or parents, or even with more than one family. It is often administered by a counselor or therapist who specializes in working with children, and who can offer the parents and/or guardians insights that may not be immediately apparent.
The therapist and client(s) can cover a wide variety of issues that include:
- Divorce or separation;
- Death of a loved one;
- Trauma;
- Bullying;
- Sexual abuse;
- Emotional abuse;
- Physical abuse;
- Family or child relocation;
- Substance abuse or addiction in the family;
- Mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder
What Problems Do Therapists Help With?
Therapists are trained to help with all kinds of problems. For example, they help kids and teens going through tough times like:
- family problems
- school problems
- bullying
- health problems
They help with feelings like:
- sadness
- anger
- stress and worry
- low self-esteem
- grief
They help kids and teens with conditions like:
- ADHD
- depression
- OCD and anxiety
- eating disorders
- self-injury
- disruptive behavior disorders
- trauma-related disorders
Why Therapy Is Important
When left untreated, mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in childhood can cause long-term problems that affect the health and well-being of your child, so try not to delay when it comes to selecting a therapist. Finding treatment for their mental health issues will not only help improve their quality of life, but it also will make things easier at home, in school, and with friends.Therapy also helps build a healthy foundation of skills your child can use throughout their life. The first step is finding a therapist who not only provides the type of therapy you are looking for but also has training and experience in working with children your child's age. Typically, the therapist will choose the type of therapy or therapies that will be most appropriate for your child's particular issue and goals, but you also can have a say in this decision as well. But first, it is important to familiarize yourself with the types of therapy most commonly used with kids as well as the benefits of each. Here are the most common types of therapy used with children and teens.
How to Explain Therapy to Kids
Coming from a supportive space is where to start when explaining therapy for kids. Talking with kids about therapy at a time when things are calm will allow for kids to better understand. With younger kids, using vocabulary that is easy for them to comprehend is very important. Kids are sometimes frightened by the uncertainty of meeting with a therapist. Reassuring children that they are whole and capable is important to include in the conversation. Explaining that therapy is a safe place to meet new friends and talk about their life is a great place to start. Helping children better understand the types of things they’ll be doing in therapeutic sessions can ease any concerns they might have. Letting your child know that they’re not alone in the process is important.
With younger kids, talking about the toys and games that they’ll get to play with can paint a fun picture of what they’ll learn in therapy. Letting your kid know that you’ll be learning too will connect you in the way you can show up for each other. Therapy is a healing process, so looking forward to the healing can bring a wonderfully positive perspective to the process. Older kids can be more resistant to entering the realm of therapy. For teens, especially, vulnerability is viewed as risky from their vantage point. Teenagers’ brains are going through massive neurological restructuring.
The limbic system is growing at a more rapid pace than the frontal lobe in teenagers. This can result in increased emotional behavior. Impulsive behavior can be troubling for parents because consequences come along with missteps. As their cognitive abilities are more advanced than younger kids, explaining therapy from a compassionate and collaborative stance will help your teen feel held and heard when facing the new realm of meeting with a therapist. Speaking in a positive and hopeful way when discussing therapy is extremely important. Offering the safety of the counselor’s responsibility for ethical conduct can help a kid realize that they won’t be judged, and their secrets will be kept can be comforting. Many kids having behavioral disruptions can be afraid of hope. Helping them understand that the expectation of therapy is for them to figure out how they want to show up in the world. Allowing them to explore what they are facing in a safe and supported environment from a neutral party might ease the fear of being vulnerable. Giving your child permission to be human is a way to normalize what is happening inside of them. We all face emotional difficulties. We all face areas of growth. Helping kids see that including therapy as a tool in parenting is an act of love.
Types of Child Therapy
Various types of child therapy are based on theories that hold different assumptions about people, behaviors, development, and learning. Many of them are types of talk therapy. When choosing an online therapy program, a person should check for the type of therapy they would like to try, as some programs may specialize in certain types of therapy.
Psychodynamic therapy
The psychodynamic theory states that behaviors are rooted in unconscious thoughts. With this type of therapy, a therapist explores the connection between the unconscious and a person’s behavior. This includes recurring thought and behavior patterns they may have developed to help cope with distressing situations. Psychodynamic therapy aims to encourage a person to process and gain insight into their experiences and emotions.
Behavior therapy
The behavior theory suggests that all behaviors are learned and modifiable. It mentions that when undesirable behaviors or thoughts are rewarded, it reinforces the behavior. A behavior therapist encourages and rewards new behaviors while aiming to reduce undesirable ones.
Cognitive therapy
Cognitive therapy is based on the belief that situations or events activate distorted thinking, resulting in maladaptive behaviors and negative emotions. A cognitive therapist aims to get a person to examine and address their maladaptive thoughts and behaviors to help them reach their goal.
Humanistic therapy
Humanistic therapy, or person-centered therapy, sees a person as the best resource for understanding themselves. With this approach, a therapist plays a supportive role. They provide an emotionally and psychologically safe environment and invite a person to process their experiences and reflect on how these have impacted their self-worth.
Different Child Therapy Techniques
Therapists use various techniques to address issues specific to the needs of each child and their family. The therapy technique may depend on the nature of the problem, the child’s age, and other factors.
Parent-child interaction therapy
Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) helps parents interact with their children and manage their behaviors. It may also improve the parent-child bond. With PCIT, parents receive in-the-moment coaching from a therapist through an earpiece.
Child-centered play therapy
Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a play-based intervention. It utilizes the playroom as a safe space to help children process their feelings through symbols and play. The counseling relationship can support healing and positive change, decrease negative behaviors, and improve overall functioning. CCPT allows children to explore issues using toys and the play environment, enabling them to lead their healing.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), therapists teach children how thoughts cause feelings that affect behaviors. They help children identify distorted and harmful thinking patterns and replace them with more appropriate ones to improve their mood and behavior. Trauma-focused CBT is a specialized form of CBT. It helps children cope with traumatic experiences.
Dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of behavior therapy for high-risk cases, such as teenagers with suicidal ideation. It uses a combination of CBT, behavior therapy, and mindfulness. It aims to teach people coping strategies and skills to handle conflict and extreme emotions. DBT teaches interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, distress tolerance skills, and emotional regulation skills.
Applied behavioral analysis
Applied behavioral analysis is a well-known early form of therapy for autistic children. It focuses on rewarding desirable behaviors to increase their frequency and minimize less acceptable behaviors. It teaches behaviors in real-life settings and addresses learning self-management, and communication.
Play therapy
In play therapy, a therapist uses games, drawings, blocks, puppets, and art to observe and identify themes or patterns and gain insight into the child’s behaviors.
Group therapy
Group therapy uses peer interaction and group dynamics to improve skills and target specific behaviors depending on the group type. One or several therapists may lead a group therapy session.
Family therapy
Family therapy aims to understand the family’s interaction and communication patterns. It also aims to provide support and education to help the family function more positively.
How to Tell if Your Kid Is Getting the Help They Need
Once therapy is underway, it’s normal to wonder whether it’s working. Use these strategies to check in and determine whether your child’s therapy is doing what it should:
Look for changes in your child’s behavior. If therapy is helping, you may notice your child begin to act differently. This could look like wanting to hang out with friends after a period of withdrawing or appearing to enjoy a favorite hobby after previously seeming disinterested. Some people make slow and steady progress. Most of the time, though, it’s a bumpy road where there are days when it's better and days when it's worse. But you’re overall looking for the upward trajectory.
Ask your child. Go straight to the source. Even if your child doesn’t respond right away, regularly asking them open-ended questions can help get them ready to share with you when they do feel ready to talk. Try asking questions like: How do you think therapy is going? What do you think is working? What do you think isn’t working? If your child has negative things to say, it’s not necessarily a sign to stop treatment. Parents know their kids, so they’ll know if you can count on that statement right away or if it’s better to wait.
Talk to your child’s therapist. One of the things I see over and over and over again is parents are having doubts, and they're not really sure what to do. And the only person they don't talk to about it is the therapist — and that’s the person you need to talk to. Ask your child’s therapist questions like: How do you think your child is progressing? Do we need to try something different? Therapists are trained to have those open, frank conversations about what’s going well, and what’s not.
10 Signs Your Child’s Therapist Isn’t Working Out
1. The only thing you get out of therapy is the fight to get your child there.
2. The therapist can’t verbalize what he/she is working on and the skills your child is developing.
3. Your child is past session 3 and the only thing they are working on is “building rapport” or playing games.
4. The therapist takes the child’s side over the parent's (i.e. never focusing on the child’s misbehavior).
5. You’ve never gotten an update from the therapist about your child’s progress.
6. Neither you nor your child can verbalize your child’s treatment goals.
7. The therapist’s only response to behavioral issues is to suggest having more frequent sessions with your child.
8. The therapist provides no after-hours support.
9. You start to fault therapy (and not the therapist) for achieving no results.
10. The therapist can’t/won’t answer your questions.
What a Child Therapist Should Not Do?
Working with children and adolescents is a unique skill that requires many important considerations.
First, counselors working with minors must be highly aware of state laws surrounding issues of privacy (e.g., concerning sexual behavior or drug use). Moreover, failure to discuss such laws with both the child and participating adults may result in a variety of problems.
Second, child/adolescent therapists must understand that children are different from adults in multiple ways, including linguistic and cognitive development. As such, expressing emotions may be more challenging for children because of their relative lack of verbal ability and abstract thinking (Prout & Brown, 2007). Therefore, the counselor may need to create alternative ways for the child to express their feelings. Similarly, counselors may fail to recognize the unique motivation of children/adolescents versus adult family members for attending therapy.
Third, child therapists must be able to deal with a troubled and dysfunctional family system. This may result in a child who lacks trust in adults in general, particularly authority figures. Failure to recognize the youth’s perspective concerning the treatment and the counselor’s role may result in an unwilling participant. To avoid this situation, counselors working with children and adolescents need to take extra time and care in developing rapport early on (Vernon, 2002). Additionally, therapists will achieve better results if they avoid perpetuating child labels within the family dynamic, ensure that their young clients are told the truth, and involve kids and teens in counseling-related decisions and objectives (Myers, Shoffner, & Briggs, 2002). Approaching youth counseling in this way provides young people with the confidence and empowerment that comes from knowing that their opinions matter.
Fourth, successful youth counseling requires the therapist to understand the client’s developmental period (Myers et al., 2002). How a child or adolescent perceives the world will be reflected in their behavior. Failure to recognize developmental processes will lead to potential misunderstandings and assumptions regarding client needs.
In summary, when dealing with youths, counselors should avoid making the following mistakes:
- Failing to understand and communicate privacy issues
- Failing to recognize the differing needs of children versus adults
- Failing to communicate the reason for treatment and to motivate children and teens
- Failing to recognize the youth’s role and perspective within a family system
- Failing to adequately establish rapport among youths
- Failing to involve youths in counseling-related decisions and objectives
- Failing to recognize different developmental periods
- Failing to understand the unique needs of adolescents in a therapeutic setting
- Failing to develop a group counseling structure based on the specific needs of youth participants
- Failing to consider the unique skills, risks, and technical complexities associated with delivering online therapy.
How to Find a Good Therapist for your Child
Once you know what type of therapist and therapy will be best for your child, it’s time to get recommendations. The best way to find a good therapist is to ask around. You’ll want to interview at least three potential therapists, so asking a few different people is a good idea. Hopefully, a few names will pop up over and over again. Put those therapists on your shortlist. Hold on to the other names just in case.
When looking for recommendations, consider asking the following people:
1. The school’s psychologist, social worker, or guidance counselor. Schools usually keep a list of local therapists who have a good reputation.
2. Your child’s pediatrician. Like schools, pediatricians usually have a list of therapists they know and trust. If they’ve known your child for years, they may narrow down their list to the ones they think would be the best fit.
3. Trusted friends. If a good friend has shared their positive experience with a child therapist, you might want to talk to them about what they liked. If it seems like the therapist would also be a good fit for your child, you can ask for the therapist’s information and perhaps let the therapist know who referred you.
4. Local community or parenting groups. Whether online or in-person, local support groups within the community, and for parents specifically, can be a wealth of information.
5. Health insurance company. If you’d like to stay in-network, you might want to ask your health insurance for a list of therapists that take your insurance.
Sources:
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.